Anakin's Grief
by Deneve the Claymore
Summary: What would have happened if Ahsoka hadn't gotten away? If instead, she died trying to escape that night? What would've happened to Anakin? In this story, we follow Anakin as he struggles to adjust to a world without his padowan by his side.
1. Chapter 1

_This story begins when Ahsoka is escaping from the clones after being falsely accused of murder. Anakin and his men are close to catching her, and Plo Koon is moving to cut her off with Commander Wolfe and his men…_

Anakin slammed his fist into the button, and the door slid open. He raced along the causeway and looked around for any sign of Ahsoka. "Sir, she's been spotted heading for the eastern wall!" Anakin nodded and took off down the causeway, and his men followed after. Anakin activated his communicator and shouted into it as he ran. "Master Plo! Wolfe! Can you see Ahsoka?" The reply crackles, the steady rain messing up the communication. "We have conformation of her. We're moving to intercept now." Anakin's eyes narrow. "Where are you?" Master Plo responds. "We're at the eastern edge of the landing platform. She's pinned at the edge, she won't have any cover if she keeps running. She's lost one of her weapons." Anakin's eyes widen and he speeds up. "Are you going to attack her?" Wolfe's voice comes over the communicator. "We were ordered to bring her in, and to under no circumstances let her escape."

Anakin opens his mouth to respond but steps into mid air. He shouts in surprise and grabs the railing with his robotic hand. The entire causeway was blown away ahead, and the other side was twisted and warped from heat. " _They used a grenade on her? That could've killed her!…_ " Anakin swings himself up, and his communicator hisses. "She's moving! She's already halfway across the landing platform!" Anakin leaps and lands on the other side of the causeway, and his clones rappel down to the ground underneath as he continues running. A new voice comes out of the intercom. "Commander Wolfe! I'm stationed in the turret, and I have clear shot!" Anakin's eyes widen in horror. "Should I fire, sir?" "No!" Anakin hits his communicator to respond, but a shower of sparks is his only response. He sees that half of his communicator was smashed when he grabbed the railing, and the response button was now completely crushed. He leaped over the causeway's gate and jumped to the top of the building ahead. Straight in front of him was the landing platform, and he could see Ahsoka racing across it with laser fire reflected all around her.

"Ahsoka!" He dropped down from the building, and the clone spoke again. "Sir, if I don't take this shot, we're going to lose her!" Anakin only had one more building to pass before he reached the platform. Then Commander Wolfe spoke. "Fire immediately!" Anakin and Plo yelled at the same time. "No!" But a shot erupted from the turret. Anakin continued sprinting across the airfield as it hit, and in the light of the explosion he saw Ahsoka flung into the side of a clone transport. His heart dropped as he skidded to a stop in front of the ship. The crater extended to the ship that Ahsoka had slammed into, and she lay crumpled underneath the smashed wing. "No." Anakin lifted the wreckage off of her and dropped to his knees. "Ahsoka, you're going to be fine." Ahsoka moved her hand, and her eyes opened slowly. "Master…" Anakin saw that her shirt was covered in blood, and he pressed his hands on top of it. "You're going to be all right Ahsoka, you're going to be just fine…" Ahsoka blinked and grabbed Anakin's arm and whispered slowly. "Anakin… I didn't do it. You have to believe me… I didn't do it."

Anakin nods as he tries to stop the blood from spreading. "I know. I never thought you did, Ahsoka. And you're going to tell everyone else you didn't too." Ahsoka grinned weakly. "As long as you know…" Her eyes rolled back in her head, and her hand dropped onto the ground. "Ahsoka? Ahsoka!" Anakin checked her pulse as Plo Koon and the clones ran up. Captain Rex stopped and got down on his knees next to Ahsoka. As Anakin looked at him, Rex shook his head. "She's gone, sir." Anakin stared at Ahsoka, and he didn't move. One of the clones turned to Master Plo. "I'm sorry, sir. I had already fired when you countered the order."

Anakin turned his head, and he stood up and stared at the clone. "You killed her." The clone looked at Anakin and took a step backwards. "I was following orders, General Skywalker." Anakin shook his head. "You ignored the order to hold fire, and you killed her!" Anakin's hand shot out, and the clone grabbed his throat. Anakin glared at the clone as he struggled to breath. "Anakin!" Master Plo said sharply. "Release him immediately!" Anakin shook his head. "He killed Ahsoka!" Master Plo grabbed his arm and forced it downwards. "Giving in to your anger isn't what she would've wanted you to do." Anakin glared at the clone, then dropped his arm and turned back to Ahsoka. His eyes were filled with tears as he closed her eyes and folded her hands over the wound on her stomach. "I'm sorry Ahsoka." He whispered. "I should've protected you." Master Plo watched sadly as Anakin picked her body up and began walking back to the cells. "Where are you going, Anakin?" Anakin spoke without looking back. "I'm going to take care of her body. Nobody else will mourn her." As Anakin slowly walked away, Plo looked up at the sky, which continued to pour down rain. " _What have we done, little 'Soka?_ "


	2. Chapter 2

Obi-Wan sighed as he waited at the door to the Council's room. He knocked, and the door slid open. As he came in, he saw the entire Jedi Council was waiting. As Ki-Adi-Mundi opened his mouth, Obi-Wan held up his hand. "Anakin should be here to hear this." Yoda and Mace Windu looked at each other and nodded. "Send a padowan, we will." A door at the back of the room slid open, and a young boy stepped out. When he saw all the masters, his eyes widened, then he quickly bowed. "Bring Anakin here, you must." The boy nodded and quickly moved to the door. As he stepped out, he looked back at Obi-Wan and the Council and walked into the edge of the door. Obi-Wan hid a smile as the boy whipped his head around and stepped out the door. Obi-Wan turned his head back to the council and and crossed his arms.

In his room, Anakin kneeled in front of the shrine in his room. His lightsaber lay on top of it, as well as both of Ahsoka's. Captain Rex had brought him her second lightsaber later that night, after they had burned Ahsoka's body. The only people present had been himself, Obi-Wan, Rex, and the younglings Ahsoka had accompanied to get their crystals. They almost hadn't been allowed to attend, but they pleaded with Yoda to be allowed to honor her. Yoda hadn't approved, but he finally agreed to let them witness it. Anakin had gone to his room after that, and hadn't left since that night three days ago. As his door beeped, his eyes flew open. "Master Skywalker, the Council needs to talk to you." Anakin looked at the shrine, then grabbed his lightsaber and stood up. He hooked it on his belt, then looked back at Ahsoka's. He hesitated, then picked them up and clipped them to the other side of his belt. He opened his door and the padawan stepped backward. "This way." He quickly walked down the hall, and Anakin followed.

Obi-Wan looked up as the door hissed open. He felt a sense of relief as Anakin stepped through it. Anakin hadn't left that room since Ahsoka died, and he hadn't allowed anyone into his room either. Then Obi-Wan's gaze flicked to his belt, and he saw that both of Ahsoka's lightsabers hung there as well as Anakin's. He quickly glanced around the room and saw that the masters had noticed as well. As Anakin walked into the room and stood next to Obi-Wan, Windu began speaking. "Obi-Wan hasn't rested since that night, and he was able to bring us proof that it was not Ahsoka who murdered the clones or set up the explosions." Yoda nodded. "Caught, the real traitor was." Ki-Adi-Mundi shifted in his chair. "And because of that, we have decided that revoking Ahsoka's expulsion from the order was what should be done." Master Shaak Ti and the others murmured agreement. Obi-Wan looked at Anakin and saw that his eyes were shut and his fist was clenched. "You think that fixes everything? You think that just because you wipe her name clean, that frees you from the guilt?" Anakin opens his eyes and glares at Ki-Adi-Mundi. "She's dead! She's dead because you ignored everything she said, and took the easy path! You blamed her and drove her to try to clear her own name!" Shaak Ti held up her hand, and Anakin stopped speaking. "She didn't need to run. We were going to put her on trial, it wasn't confirmed that she was guilty." Anakin's eyes were burning as he looked at her. "That trial was a show. You had already decided that she was guilty, and you were just waiting for the court to agree. She never would've had a chance with the court, any more then she did with you." Anakin spits the last words out as if they tasted disgusting. "You all believed Ahsoka was capable of murdering troops that she had fought to protect. I can't stay here with people who believed that." Anakin turns and strides out of the room. "Anakin!" Obi-Wan shouts. He looks at Yoda, and Yoda nods.

He quickly bows and rushes after Anakin. "Anakin, what are you doing?" "Exactly what I said. "I'm leaving." Obi-Wan shakes his head. "How are you planning on doing that?" Anakin looks at Obi-Wan and shakes his head. "I'm taking my starfighter and R2, and I'm leaving the planet." Obi-Wan grabs his arm and spins Anakin around. "How can you do this? Leave the order, the life of a Jedi? Everything?" Anakin shakes his head. "I've never belonged here. The Jedi are too restrained, and they try to control the Force too much. There were only a few things that made it worthwhile." Anakin grabs Obi-Wan's shoulder. "Who was the real traitor?" Obi-Wan looks him in the eye and sighs. "It was Barris Offee." Anakin blinks. "What?" Obi-Wan nods. "She framed Ahsoka. It seems she believed that the Jedi Order was no longer something worthy of following." Anakin shakes his head. "She used Ahsoka because she was her friend." He looks at Obi-Wan and Obi-Wan frowns. "If you're serious on leaving, then take this." He hands Anakin a small communicator. "I'll only use this if something important happens." Anakin nods and tucks the communicator into one of his pockets. "Take care of yourself, Obi-Wan." Obi-Wan nods. "May the Force be with you, Anakin." "And also with you." Anakin turns and heads off towards the fighter bay, and Obi-Wan sighs. " _Be careful,_ _Anakin. Find peace with yourself and what happened._ "

As Anakin passes through the hallways, he makes a decision and stops at one of the doors. He raises his hand and knocks, and the door slides open. "Oh, Master Skywalker." Padme stands in the doorway. "Come in." Her eyes are red, and she's dressed in plain clothes. Once the door closes she hugs Anakin. "Ani I'm so sorry." Anakin hugs her back and they stand there for a few minutes holding each other. Finally they sit down on the couch. "So what are you going to do?" Padme looks at Anakin. "I'm leaving." "What?" Anakin picks up a coaster and starts flipping it through his fingers. "I can't stay here. I can see her everywhere, and seeing all the masters act like nothing happened…" He shakes his head. "I can't stay here and watch everyone remember her as a criminal. Because that's all they're going to remember. That she was accused of murder." Padme grabs his hand, and he stops flipping the coaster and looks at her. "I'll go with you." Anakin shakes his head. "They need you. You're the senator for Naboo, the entire Senate would fall apart without you." Padme gives him a tiny smile and hugs him tightly. "Promise me you'll be careful. And that you'll come back." Anakin hugs her and closes his eyes. "I promise. I'll always come back to you, no matter how far away you are." Anakin stands up, and Padme walks with him to the door. Padme grabs his hand and puts something in it, and Anakin opens his hand to see Ahsoka's beads in it. He shakes his head and goes to hand them back to her. "You need these more then I do, Padme." But Padme shakes her head. "She would've wanted you to have them. I have other things that will keep her close." Anakin nods and tucks the beads carefully into his belt. He bends down and kisses her softly, then opens the door and walks down the hallway. Padme stands in her door and watches him walk away, and her thoughts go back to one of the times when she had been with both Ahsoka and Anakin. She grins softly as she remembers how Ahsoka joked with Anakin, and how Anakin and laughed and teased Ahsoka. " _Ahsoka, if only you could see how much he misses you. We all miss you so much._ " A tear slips down Padme's cheek, and she rests her forehead on the doorframe. " _Anakin, don't get hurt out there, ok? Come back safely._ "


	3. Chapter 3

Ahsoka laughed as she and Anakin walked through the temple. Anakin looked at her and grinned. "What's so funny, Snips?" Ahsoka shrugged her shoulders. "Nothing Skyguy. I was just wondering where our next assignment would be, and I thought if we went to Tattooine then you might tell me about before you were a Jedi." Anakin shook his head, then the hallway darkened and morphed into one of the hallways in the detention center.

Ahsoka was panting as if she had been running, and a group of clones came around the corner. "There she is!" The clones began firing, and Ahsoka took off running down the hallway. "Ahsoka!" Anakin drew his lightsaber and began blocking the shots, but he had only blocked the first two when the scene shifted again. This time, he couldn't tell what was going on, only that he was running across the airfield. Laser fire blazed around him, and he rolled to dodge. " _I'm in Ahsoka's head…_ " Suddenly, everything flashed green, and he went flying. He slowly opened his eyes and saw himself crouched next to him. "You're going to be all right Ahsoka, you're going to be just fine…" the Anakin from Ahsoka's memories blurred and faded away, and Anakin's eyes flew open.

"Ahsoka!" He sat up and grabbed his head, and R2 whistled a question. "No, I'm ok, R2." He shook his head and stood up. He was in a small camp set up next to his star fighter on the top of a hill. It had been three months since he left the order and decided to come to Shili. It was strange, but here on Shili, he felt closer to Ahsoka than anywhere else. He looked at the horizon and frowned. The Force was disturbed, and it felt darker then it normally did. Anakin shook his head and turned to his pack. He was digging through it when something at the bottom started crackling with static. "Huh?" Anakin reached into his pack and pulled out the communicator Obi-Wan had given him.

"…Anakin!…Anakin, are you there?!" It was Obi-Wan's voice, and he sounded worried. Anakin clipped the communicator to his wrist. "Obi-Wan, what's the matter?" "The Order's been destroyed!" He's a Sith lord!" "Who's a Sith lord?" "The chancellor!" Anakin's eyes went wide. He grabbed a tool and popped the top off the comunicator, and saw that a wire was disconnected from the holo creator. He pushed the wire back into place and Obi-Wan's image flickered into sight. "He ordered the clones to attack the temple, and they slaughtered everyone there. All the Jedi, and the Padowans and Younglings too." Obi-Wan covered his eyes with his hand. Anakin shook his head. "What about the Jedi on missions?" "All the clones were given the order to kill the Jedi, so they fell as well. You and Yoda are the only Jedi I've managed to contact." "What about Padme?" Obi-Wan shook his head. "I've been looking for her, but I haven't seen her. She may have gone into hiding with C-3PO, which I hope she has. Senator Organa was almost killed because he saw the clones executing Padowans."

Anakin threw his pack into the star fighter. "Obi-Wan, I'm coming to help you." Obi-Wan shook his head vehemently. "No! Anakin, the clones are hunting down any Jedi that haven't been confirmed dead. The clones everywhere are on the lookout for unauthorized aircraft. You have to stay hidden!" Anakin slammed his hand into the fighter's side. "I can't leave you there! And what about Padme?" "Padme is smart! She'll keep herself safe, and if you want to make sure she's safe, then you have to as well!" Anakin gritted his teeth, then nodded. "Fine. I'll stay here, but if I don't hear from you then I'm coming to help you." Obi-Wan grinned. "Don't worry Anakin, I'll keep in contact." Obi-Wan held up his hand. "May the Force be with you." Anakin nodded. "And also with you." The communication ended and Anakin closed his eyes. _"All the Jedi are dead? How was he able to do this? Why didn't I sense the dark side when I talked to him?"_ "Anakin, be careful, ok?" Anakin's eyes widened and he drew his lightsaber as he whirled around. "Who's there?!" The only person there was R2, who was collecting sunlight using solar panels. Anakin shook his head and sheathed his lightsaber. "I'm dreaming. I thought I heard…"

He turned to R2, who whistled a question. "R2, we'll move the supplies into the fighter. I want to be ready to go if something happens." R2 clicked agreement and started working, and Anakin grabbed a storage container and carried it over to the starfighter.

That night, Anakin stared at the sky, lost in thought. "Obi-Wan, be careful, my master." He pulled his hood up and turned around, then froze. A small voice floated through the air, full of memories. "Anakin?" He looked towards his star fighter, and there, flickering in the starlight, was a figure dressed in Jedi robes. Anakin's eyes widened and he took a step towards the blue image. "Who are you?" The figure flipped her hood back, and she smiled at Anakin. "It's good to see you again, Skyguy."


	4. Chapter 4

"Ahsoka?" Anakin's eyes widened and he froze. "How are you here?" Ahsoka shrugged and walked towards him. "I had to come back. I needed to see you again, master." Anakin reached to grab her by the shoulder, but his hand passed through her. He stared at her, then he dropped to the ground, staring at her in shock. Ahsoka sat down next to him, and her form stabilized. "It wasn't your fault, Anakin. You stood up for me, and you tried to find the one who really did it." Anakin pulled his hood off and shook his head. "But it wasn't enough. You died, and I could have protected you. I should have protected you!" "Anakin!" Anakin looked up to see Ahsoka looking at him with concern. "You won't blame yourself. I don't want you to punish yourself any more. I haven't left. I'm still around, and I'm still going to be here to remind you when you do something wrong." Ahsoka smiled, and Anakin smiled back. "There's actually something that needs to be done, Skyguy. In the town to the north, there's a Togruta female who's going to have a force-sensitive baby. But the clones are about to make a search for anyone who's force sensitive. If she stays there, she's going to die. Can you keep her safe?" Anakin looked her in the eye and nodded. Ahsoka smiled and put her hand on Anakin's shoulder, and she slowly faded away. " _Thank you Skyguy._ "

Anakin strode past R2 and grabbed his backpack. "R2, I need you to guard the ship. I've got to go do something." R2 wheeled after him and whistled an inquiry. "Ahsoka told me to do something." R2 shrieked and spun around in a circle. Anakin turned and looked at him sadly. "No R2, she is dead. But I saw her." Anakin grabbed some rations then stopped. At the back of the storage container, Ahsoka's lightsabers lay tucked in an extra belt. He pulled them out, holding them delicately. The hilts had scratches from that night, but the metal still shone from Ahsoka's care. Anakin flipped them around, then clipped them to his belt next to his own. He pulled out a locater and found north, then crouched next to R2. "Hey buddy, I'll be back soon, ok?" R2 grumbled a reply and Anakin grinned. "Don't worry, I'm not going to do anything stupid." Anakin stood up and started walking down the hill. As he headed towards the town, one thought kept repeating itself in his head. " _Ahsoka's still here. Ahsoka's still here. Ahsoka's still here…_ " Anakin grinned as he kept walking into the night, until the hill shrank to nothing and he couldn't see even a glimpse of his fighter.

It took Anakin two days to get to the town, but as the sun set on the third day since Ahsoka had talked to him, Anakin crouched in the undergrowth outside the small town. The town was buzzing with activity, and Anakin frowned. The Togruta were running from house to house, and it looked like others were loading packs full of supplies. Suddenly, laser fire erupted from the western end of the town. The Togruta looked up, and clone troopers started to pour into the village. The Togruta scattered and tried to run, but the clones shot with deadly accuracy. More then half of the Torgruta were shot before they made it out of the clearing. The clones moved into sight, and Anakin cursed. It was his own squad, the 501st. Most of the clones were shinies, but Anakin recognized a few that he had grown to know and trust, such as Rex and Appo. Anakin got to his feet and ran towards the town, heading for a street that the clones hadn't been directed into. He looked around the corner just as Rex and Appo called the clones they hadn't already dispatched and started walking towards the street he was in. Anakin looked around and saw that one of the roofs was lower then the others, and he jumped up to the top just as the clones came around the corner. Rex turned to the other clones. "We'll search this street and any connecting streets, then meet with the others back in the clearing." "Yes sir."

The clones moved past the house Anakin was on, and he began to relax, when suddenly one of the shinies shouted and reached into a doorway. There was a scream, and the clone dragged out a female Togruta. She was struggling against the clone, but his grip never loosened as he dragged her towards the others. Anakin's stomach dropped as he saw that the Torgruta was visibly pregnant, and stood up on the edge of the roof. Down below, Appo pulled a scanner out and pointed it at the Togruta. The scanner was silent until he pointed it at her belly, then it started to scream an alert. "Well, we've got a Force-user here." Appo and Rex looked at each other, and the shinies drew their blasters. "No!" Anakin jumped off the roof and landed between the Togruta and the clones with his lightsaber drawn. He grabbed the shiny holding the Togruta with the Force and tossed him into the other shiny, who tumbled to the ground. "You won't kill her." Anakin was glaring, but he paused and looked at the Togruta, who was crouched terrified behind him. "Are you all right?" The Togruta nodded, and Anakin looked back at the clones just as the two shinies stood up and aimed their blasters at him. Anakin gripped his lightsaber, and Rex and Appo put their hands by their blasters. "You don't stand a chance." Anakin said grimly. One of the shinies spoke. "The Jedi are no- Ah!" Anakin's eyes widened as the shinies collapsed, and Rex and Appo holstered their blasters. Rex pulled his helmet off and saluted Anakin. "It's good to see you again, General Skywalker."


	5. Chapter 5

Anakin stared at Rex in shock. "You aren't following the orders?" Rex shook his head. "No sir. Before Fives died, we received a message from him about the biochips, so we removed them." "Good thing too." Appo said as he holstered his blaster. "It was only a couple days after that when Order 66 went out." The Togruta women whimpered, and Anakin turned around. "Are you all right?" She nodded and looked at the bodies of the two dead clones. "What's going on?" Rex looked at Anakin. "Sir, we need to get you and the civilian out of here now. The orders are to search for any Force users and execute them."

Anakin nodded and grabbed the Togruta by the arm, gently helping her up. "Can you make it out of here?" She nodded, resting one hand on her belly. "We set up a safe point some distance north from the town. We should be able to meet the rest of my people there." Anakin looked at Appo and Rex, who nodded. "We can move through the end of this street. The connecting patrol shouldn't be there for another three minutes." Rex and Appo took point, with Anakin staying by the Togruta's side. "What's your name?" The Togruta looked at Anakin curiously. Anakin glanced at her then looked up at the roof of the building they were passing. "It's Anakin." The Togruta smiled. "Well Anakin, my name is Amuly Physh. Thank you for saving me." "Don't thank me until I get you to your family." Anakin muttered as they neared the end of the street.

"Halt!" A group of clone troopers came around the building at the end of the street and began firing. Rex and Appo drew their blasters and returned fire, and Anakin pushed Amuly behind him as he drew his lightsaber. Rex and Appo crouched behind an abandoned stack of crates and continued firing as Anakin protected Amuly with his lightsaber. "Sir, you need to get the civilian out of here!" Appo said as he shot a clone trooper through the chest. "We can distract them while you take her through that house." Rex jerked his head towards the house on the opposite side of the street.

Anakin looked at the house then back to Rex and nodded. Appo stood up and shot another trooper in the head, and Rex saluted Anakin with one hand. "It's been an honor fighting with you sir." Appo and Rex charged towards the group of clones firing, and Anakin grabbed Amuly's arm and dragged her towards the house. "What about the others?" She gasped as Anakin kicked the door open. "They're giving us a chance." Anakin said curtly as he opened the back door and checked for troopers. "It's clear."

Anakin and Amuly ran through the outskirts of the town and into the brush. Anakin immediately had to slow down, even though Amuly wasn't complaining. She was panting slightly as they struggled up a hill through the thick vegetation. At the top, Anakin paused. He could see the town through the trees, and there wasn't any more gunfire. He sighed and turned to Amuly. "We'll rest here for a few minutes, then keep heading towards the meeting place." Amuly shook her head, panting. "I'm good, we can keep going." "No, you're panting after just this, you need to be careful! What if something happens-" Anakin shut his mouth, and Amuly laughed before covering her mouth to muffle the noise. "You're worried about this?" Amuly rubbed her belly. "I can tell it's going to be coming soon. Very soon. So the faster we get to my people, the better."

Anakin blinked and nodded slowly. "All right, but we'll take it slow." Amuly grinned and pressed her hands on the small of her back. "Oof, ok. I don't think I'd be able to go that fast even if I wanted to." Amuly started walking down the hill, and Anakin grabbed her elbow just as her foot slipped. "Whoops!" Amuly grinned at him. "Thanks." Anakin nodded as he helped her down the hill, making sure to take the easiest path. He glanced up at the sky, where the sun was just barely visible as it set. " _Ahsoka, where are you? What do I do now?_ "


	6. Chapter 6

Amuly tripped over a root, and Anakin caught her before carefully setting her back on her feet. She grinned wearily at him and sighed. "Sorry, it's farther then I thought it was." Anakin shook his head. "It's fine. Do you know how close we are?" Amuly looked up at the moon, then at the trees around them. "It should be…" Amuly looked at one tree, then the tree on her other side. She frowned and crossed her arms, then grinned. "I know! We go between those two trees." She pointed at two trees which had grown together at the top, creating a type of natural arch. "Then we keep heading straight forward until we reach a large hill. The camp is next to that hill in a secret valley."

Anakin grinned wryly. "A secret valley? You Togruta certainly like to be mysterious, don't you?" Amuly looked at him curiously as they walked through the arch. "What do you mean?" "Well, I've worked with Togruta before, and you always like to give everything new names and be mysterious. Even if it's just a nickname." Amuly grinned and shrugged. "Not everybody, but yes, we give most things new names to identify them by." Amuly stopped and looked at Anakin. "Wait. You've worked with Togruta?" Anakin pauses as well, and he nodded once. "Yes, I've worked with two Togruta who were Jedi." Amuly started walking again, and Anakin walked next to her.

"I had a friend when I was little who went to become a Jedi. I barely remember what she looked like, it was so long ago. I remember she had white and blue headtails like mine." Amuly rubbed the tip of one of her headtails absently. "We used to pretend we were sisters, because our headtails were the same. We always played together, and we even ate dinner together sometimes." Amuly continued talking, unaware of Anakin staring at her. "Then one day, a Jedi showed up and took her with him to be a Jedi. I didn't understand what was going on at first, all I knew was that my friend went with some person because she was special, and she never came back." Amuly frowned slightly. "At first I was really jealous. I wanted to be a Jedi too, so that way I could see her again."

"What changed your mind?" Anakin asked quietly. "I realized it was silly for me to be jealous of her when she was becoming someone that was so important to the universe. So I decided I'd wish her luck instead of being jealous, and hope that someday I could see her again." Amuly looked at Anakin and her eyes widened at Anakin's expression. "What is it?" "Was her name Ahsoka?" Anakin's hand lowered to his belt and rested comfortingly on Ahsoka's lightsabers. Amuly nodded in shock. "Yeah, how did you know that?" Anakin kept walking, and Amuly grabbed his arm. "How did you know?!" Anakin stopped, and turned and looked her in the eye. "Because Ahsoka was my padowan." Amuly blinked, and Anakin turned and kept walking.

"What do you mean was? Is she a knight now?" Amuly grinned and followed Anakin. "She's probably an amazing Jedi, she always loved listening to the stories about them. What color lightsaber does she have? She always thought the blue ones sounded the most beautiful, and-" "Amuly." Amuly looked at Anakin. "What?" Anakin balled his hand up into a fist and squeezed it tightly.

"Ahsoka's dead." Amuly looked at Anakin in shock. "That's not possible. How could she die?" Anakin kept walking, looking down at the ground. "There was an explosion at the Jedi Temple, then a group of clones under Ahsoka's command was found murdered. So the Jedi Council labeled her a traitor and arrested Ahsoka. She ran from where they were holding her, but they shot her while she was trying to escape." Anakin looked back at Amuly, who had covered her mouth in horror. "Ahsoka was a traitor?" "No!" Anakin growled. "Ahsoka was framed for everything, and they caught the real criminal afterwards."

Anakin sighed and closed his eyes, pressing his hand against his forehead. Something touched his arm, and he opened his eyes to see Amuly standing in front of him. Her eyes were shiny with tears, but there was also something hard behind them. "What was she like?" Anakin shook his head slightly and blinked, and he and Amuly continued walking. "She was brave, and extremely skilled with her lightsabers. She was a great commander, and her troops respected her." Anakin smiled slightly as he remembered the times he had spent with Ahsoka. "She was spunky, and she stood up for what she knew was right. She was willing to sacrifice to protect those in her care, and she was always ready to help those in need." Amuly smiled slightly and wiped away a tear. "She sounds like she was amazing as a Jedi. Maybe-" Amuly froze and grabbed her stomach, and she groaned softly.

"Amuly? What's wrong?" Anakin frowned and stepped forward. "The baby is coming now." Anakin's eyes widened. "What do I do?" Amuly shook her head. "I don't know, I was trying to stay close to the doctor, but-" Amuly groaned again and grabbed the tree next to her, clenching the branch until her knuckles went almost completely white. Anakin reached for Amuly, but whipped around as bushes rustled close by. He drew his lightsaber and looked out into the forest, trying to see through the darkness. Amuly breathed out shakily, and Anakin glanced back over his shoulder. "Amuly, can you move?"

Suddenly, the bushes in front of Anakin rustled, and another Togruta stepped out. He looked at Anakin, but when he saw Amuly, his eyes widened. "Amuly!" He rushed forward and crouched down next to her. "Amuly, are you ok?" Anakin deactivated his lightsaber as Amuly nodded. "Yes, I just need to get to the doctor." "Well, you're close, the camp's only about fifty yards that way." He pointed through the trees slightly to the left of them, then scooped Amuly up and began walking in that direction. He looked at Anakin as Anakin walked beside them. "What's going on, Jedi? The clones attacked our town, I thought they were part of the Republic Army." Anakin shook his head. "There's been some developments."

They stepped out into the mouth of a small valley, and several Togruta looked up from their various tasks. One ran towards the largest tent that had been set up, and the others converged on Amuly. The Togruta carrying Amuly brushed them away and turned to Anakin. "Wait here Jedi. Amuly needs to see the doctor immediately." Anakin nodded as the Togruta carried her into the tent, and the other Togruta clustered around the tent chattering to each other. Anakin rubbed his head, then looked up as he felt a familiar presence. Just outside the mouth of the valley was Ahsoka.

Anakin walked over to her and breathed a sigh of relief. "Ahsoka, it's good to see you again." Ahsoka smiled, but her eyes were sad. "It's good to see you too, Master." Anakin frowned. "What's wrong? Amuly's safe, so you don't need to worry about her any more." Ahsoka smiled. "And I thank you for that, Anakin. But, I have something to do now." Ahsoka's eyes were full of pain. "I won't be able to see you this way again." Anakin's eyes widened. "What? You can't leave, Ahsoka! Why do you have to go?" Ahsoka looked down and kicked a stone, sending it skittering. "I can't say, I just have to!" Ahsoka stepped forward and hugged Anakin tightly, and Anakin hugged her back. "I'm sorry, Skyguy." Ahsoka stepped away and pulled her hood up, and dissolved into a vague blue form before disappearing completely. Anakin stared frozen at where she had been standing, one hand raised to touch her shoulder. "Snips…"


	7. Chapter 7

As Anakin stood frozen, the Togruta who had carried Amuly into the tent came up behind him. "I wanted to say thank you for protecting Amuly. My name is Aboso, I'm her brother." Anakin looked at him and blinked. "Anakin. My name's Anakin Skywalker. I'm a Jedi Knight." Aboso tilted his head in acknowledgement. "Can you explain what happened with the clone army? I thought they fought for the Republic, they had no reason to attack us." Anakin frowned. "The supreme chancellor is actually a Sith lord. He used the clones to assassinate their Jedi generals all over the universe, and has taken over the Galactic Senate." Aboso's eyes widened. "How have you survived if this is true?" Anakin's hand moved to rest on Ahsoka's lightsabers. "I had left my post, so my clone squadron was under new command."

As Anakin spoke, the flap of the medical tent was lifted, and an older female Togruta stepped outside. The Togruta around the tent immediately swarmed her, and she smiled and said something quietly. The Togruta became even more excited, clapping and chattering to each other, before one of them looked at the doctor and said something. The doctor smiled and lifted the flap, and the others quietly filed into the tent. Aboso smiled and looked at Anakin. "It appears my sister has had her baby." Aboso walked towards the tent, then paused and looked over his shoulder at Anakin. "Aren't you coming?" Anakin looked at him in surprise. "I thought she would want to see only family right now." Aboso shook his head, smiling faintly. "If it weren't for you, she wouldn't be here. She will want you to see her child." Anakin looked at the tent. "All right then."

Anakin followed Aboso as they walked across the clearing and entered the tent. Inside, the Togruta were all gathered around a bed at the far end. Amuly was sitting up in it, with a small bundle in her arms. She smiled as one of the Togruta rested a hand on her shoulder and said something quietly to her. She looked up at the front of the tent, and her eyes lit up when she saw Aboso. "Aboso, come look at your niece!" Aboso hurried over, and Amuly turned slightly so he could see better. Anakin walked over slowly, and stopped at the outskirts of the group. The only part of the newborn that he could see was the tips of her headtails, which were white and blue like her mother's. Amuly grinned tiredly at Aboso. "She's so quiet, she's already asleep."

Amuly looked at the edge of the group and saw Anakin, and she smiled warmly. "Anakin, come here! You should come meet the little one who caused all the trouble." Anakin nodded and came up to the edge of the bed. As Amuly moved to show Anakin her daughter, the baby stretched and opened her eyes, then looked straight at Anakin. Anakin's eyes widened as he saw in front of him a face he thought he would never see again. The baby blinked, then reached out and touched Anakin's hand with her own tiny one and cooed softly. "She likes you." Amuly looked at her child with warm eyes.

" _Anakin, I'm so sorry I didn't tell you. I couldn't, and there was only a chance this would work._ " The voice is faint and echoey in his head, but it's unmistakably Ahsoka's. " _Ahoska…_ " Anakin's jaw drops slightly, staring at the baby. " _I want to ask you for something, Master. I won't remember any of my life for a long time. When you think the time is right, I need you to help me remember everything. I'm going to need someone to train me, so… Would you be my master again, Skyguy?_ " Anakin smiled, then closed his eyes. " _Of course, Ahsoka. I would never refuse._ " The baby smiles, then closes her eyes and yawns. " _Thank you, Master. I won't be able to speak to you again, but no goodbyes this time. We'll meet again, Skyguy._ "

"Anakin?" Anakin opened his eyes and looked at Amuly. "I was wondering, would you name the baby? She wouldn't be here now if it wasn't for you, so I think you should name her." Anakin looked at Aboso, who nodded. Anakin looked back at the baby, who was now asleep, cuddled into the blanket. "Ahsoka. Her name is Ahsoka Tano." Amuly's eyes widened in surprise, then she looked down at her baby, and smiled. "It feels like it fits. Like it's meant to be her name." At that, the other Togruta pressed around the bed, offering their comments on Ahsoka, how she looked, and what a beautiful Togruta they were sure she would grow up to be. Anakin smiled to himself and moved away from the group, then stepped outside the tent. He looked up at the sky, which was lightening as the dawn approached. He looked down in surprise as his communicator beeped. "Anakin?" The voice was Obi-Wan's, and his hologram flickered into sight. His posture was relaxed but alert, and his face relaxed slightly when he saw Anakin.

"Anakin, I'm glad you're all right." Anakin grinned at him. "As am I for you. What's the situation?" "I've found Padme, and she's fine. We made it to a ship, and we escaped Coruscant." Anakin's eyes lit up. "Padme's all right?" Obi-wan nodded. "Yes, and C-3PO survived as well. What are your coordinates, Anakin? There isn't any reason we can't meet up with you now." "I'll send them to you right now." Anakin punched the numbers into his communicator. "I'm glad you're both safe, Obi-wan." "And I you. We'll be there soon. May the Force be with you." "And also with you." The communication ended, and Anakin grinned and looked up at the sky. Anakin took a giant breath of air, letting it out slowly as he relaxed. His hand rested on Ahsoka's hilts, and he smiled as he watched the stars fade. He stood there as the sky turned pink and the sun rose, with an expression happier then he had worn in a long time.


End file.
